i yo-z 


I 3.  yri  ^ 

W»'“t'K  i"Ve. 


L <2  ^ :"■  «li  I 'y ) 

• •;  > 'jrVn'a  Fvie . 


Bethesda 


Home  for 
the  Lepers 


November.  1904 


-A'  - 


With  the  L epers 
in  Suriname 


“ Bear  ye  one  another's  burdens,  ayid  so 
fulfil  Ihe  law  of  Christ." 

Galatians  VI-2 


SECOND  EDITION 


LOUISE  LEWIS  KAHLE 
ANNA  ELIZABETH  SCOTT 


EDITORS 


BETHESDA 


HOME  FOR  THE  LEPERS 


As  our  second  number  of  “Bethesda”  goet  to 
print,  we  are  thankful  to  be  able  to  report  an  in- 
creased interest  for  the  cause;  also  substantial 
aid  in  the  way  of  money,  clothing,  etc.,  which 
has  been  contributed  from  all  parts  of  the  United 
States  of  America. 

Our  report  shows  that  we  have  been  able  to 
add  about  $1000  to  the  Bethesda  Fund,  and  now 
that  we  are  an  organized  National  Society,  we 
hope  to  do  much  more,  in  a systematic  way. 

November  16,  1904,  we  sent  a Christmas  box 
to  Bethesda,  containing  clothes  for  all,  made  from 
measurements  kindly  sent  us  by  Mrs.  Weiss, 
tools,  games,  books,  pictures,  towels,  etc. ; also 
quantities  of  old  linen  bandages. 

We  inserted  an  advertisement  in' our  daily 
papers,  requesting  “all  who  had  old  linen  pieces 
to  send  them  to  the  Society  for  Bethesda,  as  they 
need  over  one  hundred  yards  per  day,  and  now 
have  to  wash  the  bandages  for  future  use,  thereby 
increasing  the  danger  of  infection.”  Anyone 
reading  this  appeal  will  render  great  assistance 
by  sending  to  the  Bethesda  Home  Society,  any 
linen  he  may  have,  not  in  use.  It  seems  as  if  the 


3 


United  States  could  supply  bandages  enough  to 
relieve  those  faithful  nurses  from  the  added  dan- 
ger of  cleansing  old  bandages  to  be  used  again, 
and  that  alone  would  be  a great  blessing. 

Will  you  not  become  a member  of  our  Bethesda 
Home  Society,  thus  showing  your  sympathy  and 
interest  for  the  cause — the  relieving  of  the  great- 
est suffering  known  to  man  ? 

One  dollar  per  year,  membership  fee,  means 
little  to  us,  but  much  to  these  poor  sufferers  at 
Bethesda. 

Anna  Elizabeth  Scott. 

Secretary  and  Treasurer  of  the  Bethesda  Home 
Society  of  the  United  States  of  America. 


Since  the  issue  of  our  last  pamphlet  we  h''ve 
received  an  urgent  request  from  Reverend  H.  T. 
Weiss  to  organize  a society.  He  writes  as  fol- 
lows : “We  find  ourselves  at  the  present  moment 
in  a very  difficult  position.  Reverend  Goedel,  our 
General  Treasurer  in  Philadelphia,  writes  me  that 
he  will  return  to  Germany  and  for  that  reason  he 
will  be  obliged  to  resign  his  duties  as  Treasurer. 
In  his  letter  he  proposes  that  I turn  for  help,  to 
Mrs.  Kahle  and  Miss  Scott  in  Buffalo,  and  points 
out  that  the  center  of  influence  in  the  work  lies 
in  Buffalo. 

What  shall  I do?  On  the  one  hand  I mourn 
for  my  good,  faithful  Brother  Goedel,  who  lived 
so  entirely  for  the  cause ; on  the  other  hand  I feel 
that  my  dear,  good  friends  in  Buffalo  have  done 
so  much  already  that  I fear  to  burden  them  with 


4 


Reverend  and  Mrs.  Henry  T.  Weiss 


Bethesda,  with  Bethany  Home  in  the  Center 


a new  work.  Nevertheless,  I confidently  lay  the 
whole  matter  in  the  hands  of  the  BuflFalo  ladies, 
and  think  the  time  has  come  now  to  organize  a 
society.” 

Acting  upon  this  request  of  Reverend  Weiss  an 
invitation  was  extended  to  all  persons  interested 
in  the  cause,  to  meet  on  the  afternoon  of  May  31, 
1904,  at  the  home  of  Mrs.  A.  R.  Preston,  1089 
Delaware  avenue,  when  a society  was  formed  to 
be  known  as  the  “Bethesda  Home  Society  of  the 
United  States  of  America.”  Constitution  and 
by-laws  were  adopted,  and  the  following  officers 
elected : 

President — Mrs.  Francis  U.  Kahle. 

First  Vice-President — Mrs.  John  F.  Lewis. 

Secretary  and  Treasurer — Miss  Anna  Eliza- 
beth Scott. 

Corresponding  Secretary — Miss  Margaret  E. 
Chester. 

Auditor — Miss  Harriet  Edgerton. 

Board  of  Directors — Mrs.  Jerome  I.  Prentiss, 
Mrs.  Loran  L.  Lewis,  Mrs.  William  Young  Chap- 
man, Mrs.  Frank  Hayes,  Mrs.  A.  H.  Whitford, 
Mrs.  John  Hofer,  Mrs.  I.  N.  Stewart,  Miss  Susan 
Chase. 

All  other  societies  which  may  be  formed  later 
will  be  auxiliary. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  Rev.  H.  T. 
Weiss’s  letter  since  the  formation  of  the  society : 

“We  are  extremely  happy  to  know  that  the  so- 
ciety at  BuflFalo  has  been  formed,  and  we  are  able 
now  to  bring  all  our  pleasures  and  our  sorrows 
before  the  society.” 


5 


In  writing  of  the  Portable  House,  recently  sent 
to  Bethesda,  Rev.  Weiss  says : “The  house  has 
given  to  the  lepers  themselves  and  also  to  the 
nurses,  to  Mrs.  Weiss  and  myself,  a great  pleas- 
ure. 

It  is  a nice  remembrance  from  all  our  Buffalo 
friends.  The  house  is  worth  to  us  more  than  its 
cost  ($1000),  because  in  building  up  this  house 
the  interest  for  the  leper  cause  has  been  awakened 
and  I surely  believe  that  without  this  donation  we 
would  not  have  secured  a National  Society  in  the 
United  States.” 

On  account  of  climate,  wood  ants,  etc.,  it  has 
been  deemed  advisable  to  call  the  attention  of 
auxiliary  organizations,  or  other  interested  par- 
ties, to  a new  plan  for  sending  houses  to  Be- 
thesda, which,  upon  inquiry,  the  society  will  be 
glad  to  give  information. 

Louise  Lewis  Kahle, 

President  of  the  Bethesda  Home  Society  of  the 
United  States  of  America. 


6 


Indifference  of  the  Majority  of  the  inhabitants  to  the 
Danger  of  Infection  from  the  Terriblej 
Ravages  of  Leprosy. 

The  word  “leper”  in  our  country,  where  only 
an  occasional  case  is  seen,  is  one  hardly  to  be 
taken  upon  the  tongue  without  offence.  Were 
the  very  thing  itself  to  be  set  before  our  people’s 
eyes,  which  Heaven  forever  forbid,  very  certain 
their  horror  would  be  stamped  into  the  core  of 
consciousness.  Yet  the  most  pernicious  element 
in  the  situation  here,  is  the  indifference  of  the 
population. 

Leprosy,  with  all  its  unspeakable  humiliation 
of  body  and  soul,  threatens  each  and  every  one, 
an  hourly  visible  spectre.  Yet,  by  some  in- 
credible perversity,  they  hold  it  in  little  fear,  and 
where  a consumptive  would  be  deserted  in  panic 
by  his  nearest  friends,  a leprous  woman  will  be 
given  a healthy  baby  to  nurse;  a leprous  child 
will  be  put  habitually  to  play  with  sound  mates ; a 
leprous  man  will  be  conducting  a business  and 
receiving  visits  under  his  own  roof  day  by  day, 
while  by  night  he  takes  the  air  in  a public  car- 
riage that  on  the  morrow  will  convey  a bride  to 
her  wedding,  or  a young  girl  to  her  first  ball. 
Such  is  the  condition  in  Paramaribo,  Suriname,  a 
place  of  about  31,000  inhabitants,  and  of  these 
31,000  inhabitants,  by  conservative  estimate, 
above  10  per  cent,  are  lepers. 

Bethesda  is  separated  from  this  city  by  a rib- 
bon of  creek  and  a thread  of  bush ; but  here  you 
find  contrast  which  is  extreme.  In  the  little  realm 


7 


of  Bethesda,  the  whole  question  changes  from  one 
of  necessity  to  one  of  privilege.  Here  Rev.  and 
Mrs.  Weiss,  and  three  nursing  sisters,  hourly 
dare  the  most  hideous  fate  known  to  man,  in  or- 
der that  they  may  lavish  upon  the  company  that 
is  their  special  charge,  such  a wealth  of  childlike 
love,  sacrifice  and  limitless  personal  devotion  as 
drives  one  back  to  the  legends  of  the  saints,  for  a 
parallel.  As  they  perform  their  offensive  task  of 
making  the  morning  toilet  of  the  sick,  bathing 
and  dressing  their  wounds,  you  hear  the  sound  of 
pleasant  talk  and  laughter,  intermingled  with 
snatches  of  hymns  in  which  the  voices  of  nurse 
and  patient  join  frankly.  The  sisters  would  be 
ignoring  half  of  their  chosen  task,  did  they  not 
crush  the  revolt  of  their  senses  and  bend  their 
very  souls  to  lighten  the  burden  of  their  sick.  A 
bell  at  their  bedsides  connects  with  the  bedside  of 
each  of  the  sick,  and  is  likely  to  summon  them  at 
any  moment  of  the  night. 

One  of  the  admirable  features  of  life  at  Be- 
thesda, is  the  manner  in  which  the  sick  are 
brought  to  use  whatever  powers  may  remain  to 
them  for  the  help  or  pleasure  of  their  neighbors. 
One  well-educated  mulatto,  constituting  himself 
schoolmaster,  teaches  the  children.  Another,  who 
in  former  days  was  a skillful  cabinetmaker,  and 
who  still  retains  the  use  of  his  hands,  busies  him- 
self with  the  manufacture  of  footstools,  tables 
and  other  pieces  of  furniture.  He  is  the  cheeriest 
of  creatures,  always  ready  with  a brave  word  and 
a smile,  and  he  has  his  own  coffin  and  headstone 
neatly  made  from  hard  jungle  wood.  A little 


8 


girl,  again,  has  assumed  the  duties  of  reader  to  a 
sightless  man. 

As  you  come  to  know  Bethesda  by  personal 
experience,  you  grow  less  able  to  decide  at  which 
to  marvel  more ; whether  at  their  absolute  inno- 
cence of  any  idea  of  having  made  themselves  in 
any  wise  noteworthy  among  men,  or  at  the  suc- 
cess with  which  their  labors  have  been  crowned. 
But  the  idyllic  sunshine  of  Bethesda  has  not  been 
won  without  cost.  Think  of  the  heroism  of  the 
young  sister,  with  her  pink  cheeks,  her  sweet  blue 
eyes,  who  laid  down  her  gentle  young  life  in  the 
cause,  and  who  said  “if  she  contracted  the  malady 
she  could,  in  greater  helpfulness,  tread  in  the  very 
path  beside  her  flock.” 

Rev.  and  Mrs.  Weiss  came  to  the  United  States 
to  ask  for  help — they  want  so  much — and  so 
piteously  little.  They  harbor,  in  their  most  imag- 
inative moments,  visions  of  a little  hospital,  well 
equipped,  in  which  patients  in  extreme  cases 
could  receive  handier  care;  of  an  increase  in  the 
number  of  cottages,  so  that  more  sick  might  be 
taken  in;  even  of  a fund,  at  interest,  against  a 
time  of  need.  The  Government  allows  Bethesda 
a slight  annual  consideration  for  certain  of  the 
patients,  and  the  two  Protestant  Churches  of 
Paramaribo  contribute  something  to  its  aid;  but 
the  united  income  is  too  small  to  afford  any 
chance  of  advance  in  the  work.  Seventy  thou- 
sand dollars,  I suppose,  would  transcend  their 
dreams  and  fulfill  their  every  hope,  and  if  it  be 
asked  why  some  thrifty  person  does  not  claim 
the  privilege  of  putting  the  whole  sum,  without 


9 


parley  or  limitation,  into  their  unimpeachable 
hands,  I can  only  say  that  the  answer  helps 
neither  Bethesda,  nor  the  lepers.” 

Special  Correspondence  to  the  “Evening 
Post,”  New  York. 


A Letter  from  Mrs.  H.  T.  Weiss 

Dear  Friends: 

Nearly  a year  has  passed  since  you  heard  of  us 
and  our  work  through  the  little  pamphlet  of 
which  our  dear  friends  Mrs.  Kahle  and  Miss 
Scott  were  the  editors.  Again  these  dear  friends 
will  publish  a second  pamphlet  to  let  you  all  know 
how  the  work  in  Bethesda  is  going  on,  for  it  is 
quite  impossible  for  us  to  write  to  everyone,  our 
time  being  so  fully  taken  up  with  our  daily  work. 
It  will  interest  you  to  hear  that  a Bethesda  Home 
Society  was  formed  by  ladies  of  Buffalo.  Mrs. 
Kahle,  the  President,  and  Miss  Scott,  the  Treas- 
urer and  Secretary  of  “Bethesda  Home  Society,” 
will  surely  tell  you  more  about  this  happy  event. 

It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  tell  you  of  Be- 
thesda during  the  past  year.  We  have  much 
reason,  indeed,  to  thank  the  Lord  who  has  helped 
us  all  so  wonderfully.  In  my  last  letter  I wrote 
about  Christian,  our  boy,  14  years  old.  At  that 
time  he  was  very  sick  and  we  expected  to  lose 
him,  but  he  has  become  a happy  little  fellow 
again.  His  feet  are  not  swollen  any  more  and  he 
enjoys  walking  around  with  Manni,  a boy  of  16 
years,  a new  patient,  who  shares  his  room  until 


10 


the  new  house  is  ready,  when  he  can  have  his  own 
room.  They  both  enjoy  fishing  and  a special 
pleasure  for  them  is,  when  Mr.  Weiss  angles 
with  them.  From  the  Commewyne  Aid  Society 
the  lepers  received  a present  of  lOO  florins,  with 
the  request  that  the  lepers  themselves  should  ad- 
vise with  Rev.  Weiss  as  to  how  to  use  the  gift. 
They  all  decided  for  a cement  path  to  the  church, 
as  in  the  rainy  season  the  bambus  way  is  very 
slippery  and  dangerous  for  these  poor  people, 
with  their  wounded  feet,  specially  in  the  dark 
evenings,  when  they  go  to  church.  Manni  and 
Christian  have  cut  all  the  stones  for  this  cement 
path,  and  Mr.  Weiss  had  his  pleasure  in  seeing 
how  quickly  they  worked.  One  day  they  worked 
in  emulation  and  Christian  was  quite  sorry  when 
Manni  surpassed  him  in  the  work.  Mr.  Louis 
Kampf  is  still  the  same.  The  other  day  he  stood 
at  his  window  when  I passed,  and  I asked  him 
how  he  was  going  on,  and  he  answered : “It  is 
going  on  so,  Madame,  till  the  Lord  comes  and 
calls  me.  What  a comfort  to  know  the  Lord, 
otherwise  soul  and  body  would  be  lost,  but  now 
the  soul  is  saved  though  the  body  has  passed 
away  already.”  The  music  box  which  he  re- 
ceived from  Miss  Chester  of  Buffalo  gave  him  a 
special  pleasure.  He  cannot  turn  it  himself,  but 
he  asked  the  nurse  to  tie  a ribbon  on  the  box  with 
a sling  at  the  other  end,  which  can  be  slipped  over 
his  hand,  so  that  he  is  able  to  turn  the  handle  of 
the  music  box  with  his  arm,  as  he  cannot  use  his 
fingers  in  any  way.  His  poor  feet  are  so  thin  and 
feeble,  also,  that  the  nurse  is  always  afraid  the 


II 


foot  will  come  off  with  the  stocking,  when  she 
undresses  him.  Alexander  Monsanto  is  still  the 
same  calm  sufferer  that  he  was  30  years  ago.  All 
the  other  inhabitants  at  Bethesda  love  him,  and 
he  is  a blessing  to  them  all.  He  was  very  sick 
some  weeks  ago,  and  one  day  when  I entered  his 
room,  he  was  lying  on  his  bed  with  fevers.  I 
told  him  of  the  different  letters  received  from  the 
United  States  of  America.  With  pleasure  he 
listened  and  with  pains  he  sat  up  in  his  bed  and 
said:  “Mrs.  Weiss,  I spoke  last  evening  about 
our  friends  in  the  United  States  of  America  and 
I said  to  Celina,  that  every  day  I pray  and  ask  the 
Lord  to  open  the  heart  of  some  millionaires  to 
give  a good  sum  for  Bethesda,  that  Rev.  and  Mrs. 
Weiss  and  our  dear  nurses  have  not  to  work  so 
hard.” 

Franz  is  very  poorly  these  days.  He  is  very 
small  and  looks  like  a boy  of  15  years,  but  he  has 
21  years  now.  Some  weeks  ago  he  was  lying  on 
the  ground  and  crying  loud,  his  knee  was  paining 
him  so  much.  He  is  a true  Lazarus  with  all  his 
wounds.  Nearly  all  his  fingers  have  wounds,  and 
have  to  be  bandaged,  his  ears,  his  face — all  ’s 
open, — poor  boy ! Some  days  ago  he  said  to 
Sister  Philippina:  “^Sister,  it  may  be  that  the 
Lord  calls  me  home  quickly,  and  I know  I have 
troubled  you  much  sometimes.  I feel  it  was  not 
right  and  I would  ask  you  to  pardon  me.” 

Bill  Reeberg,  the  schoolmaster  of  Bethesda, 
went  to  his  heavenly  home  the  middle  of  May. 
We  miss  him  very  much.  Consumption  and  lep- 
rosy made  an  end  of  his  young  life.  Some  days 


12 


Bethany  Home  (Portable  House)  with  Visitors  and  Members  oe  the  Colony 


Niiw  Bethesda  Chapei,.  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Weiss  and  Nurses  in  the  Foregrih'nd 


before  he  died,  and  before  our  little  chapel  was 
consecrated,  he  asked  to  be  brought  to  the  chapel. 
“I  long  so  to  have  seen  the  chapel,”  he  exclaimed, 
and  the  nurses  took  a sedan  chair  and  brought 
him  into  the  chapel.  Before  every  picture,  the 
chair  was  put  down,  as  he  longed  to  see  all ; he 
did  not  speak  much ; he  was  very  feeble  and  his 
young  heart  was  feeling  deeper  than  we  imag- 
ined. Was  it  not  his  first  and  last  visit  to  the 
chapel  ? and  how  he  had  longed  always  for  this 
place.  Now  it  was  ready  and  he  had  to  leave. 
Some  days  later  in  the  morning  at  half  past  six 
o’clock,  he  was  called  home,  so  peacefully ; his 
last  words  were  “Lord  Jesus  Christ.”  Besides 
him  another  Bethesda  patient  had  left  us,  our 
dear  Brother  Smith,  who  died  in  February.  Some 
days  before  he  died,  he  thanked  us  all  for  all  the 
love  experienced  during  his  stay  at  Bethesda,  and 
he  told  us  that  he  was  ready  to  go  to  the  Lord. 
In  his  last  hour  he  prayed  aloud  and  with  a fath- 
er’s heart  he  remembered  specially  his  own  child, 
a boy  of  15  years,  asking  the  Lord  to  keep  him  in 
the  right  way.  Very  quietly  he  passed  away, 
looking  at  the  sisters  with  large,  wide-opened 
eyes ; the  nurses  told  us  they  never  would  forget 
this  last  glance.  Sijben  is  now  living  in  Bill  Ree- 
berg’s  room.  He  suffers  very  much  from  the  dis- 
ease, also  in  a spiritual  way,  he  can  be  very  down- 
hearted and  impatient.  The  other  day,  when  the 
sister  was  dressing  his  foot,  he  said,  looking  at 
the  foot:  “Madame,  this  foot  is  my  master;  as 
it  wills,  I have  to  obey.”  It  is  remarkable  that 
only  his  right  side  is  afflicted  with  leprosy.  His 


13 


right  eye  is  nearly  gone;  his  right  hand  is  sick; 
his  right  foot  has  deep  wounds  in  the  sole,  whilst 
the  left  side  is  healthy.  Next  to  him  a new  pa- 
tient is  living,  Emanuel  Magdolf,  74  years  old. 
He  had  nothing  when  he  arrived,  except  his  dirty 
clothes,  and  we  were  happy  to  have  new  clothing 
for  him,  kindly  sent  by  our  friends  in  the  United 
States  of  America,  Holland  and  Germany.  He 
always  looks  happy,  and  if  you  speak  with  him, 
he  only  calls  you  “Mi  goedoe;”  that  is  “My 
good.” 

Our  good  Charles  is  very  poorly.  It  was  he, 
the  carpenter,  who  made  all  the  chairs  and  tables 
for  Bethesda,  but  now  his  hands  have  become 
twice  as  large  and  swollen,  so  that  he  can  use 
them  no  more.  The  other  day  he  said,  “O,  Mrs. 
Weiss,  my  hands  become  so  big,  I do  not  know 
where  to  go  with  them.”  He  is  suffering  much 
with  his  neck,  inside  it  is  quite  open,  so  that  eat- 
ing hurts  him.  Some  days  ago  his  foot  had  to  be 
cut  again,  poor  fellow!  He  is  so  sorry  that  he 
cannot  work  more.  A time  ago  he  said:  “Ma- 
dame, now  I am  not  thinking  more  about  it;  it 
will  never  come  better  more.”  1 reminded  him 
that  a time  would  come  when  he  would  receive  a 
new  body,  and  how  happy  he  would  be  then — 
healthy  forever  in  the  most  complete  way.  Wil- 
liam Allen  was  taken  to  Bethesda  from  the  Gov- 
ernment Asylum,  the  30th  of  April,  this  year. 
He  is  an  Englishman,  born  at  Barbados.  Last 
Christmas  he  was  lying  sick  in  the  Government 
Place,  and  when  Rev.  Weiss  asked  him,  “Now, 
Brother  Allen,  you  cannot  go  with  us  to  church 


14 


this  Christmas,”  he  answered:  “It  is  not  neces- 
sary, sir;  the  Lord  will  come  and  visit  me  here.” 
He  does  not  know  his  birthday,  but  I think  he 
has  passed  seventy  years.  Now  it  is  32  years 
since  he  left  Barbados.  He  is  so  full  of  thanks 
that  the  Lord  brought  him  to  Bethesda,  where  he 
can  have  his  own  little  room,  and  is  cared  for  and 
dressed  in  such  a loving,  Christian  way  by  our 
dear  deaconesses.  Cornelius  de  Randamie  is  yet 
to  be  mentioned  among  the  men.  He  had  70 
years  in  May.  If  you  see  him  you  do  not  shrink, 
as  his  face  is  not  yet  touched  by  the  disease,  but 
in  the  soles  of  his  feet  he  has  small-looking 
wounds,  and  when  the  nurse  is  cleaning  them 
she  has  to  go  about  four  to  six  inches  deep  with 
her  pincers.  He  is  very  fond  of  flowers  and  these 
days  you  can  see  him  sitting  upon  his  foot-stool, 
weeding  the  grass  among  his  flowers  and  cutting 
his  roses,  of  which  he  is  a special  friend. 

Now  we  are  going  over  to  the  other  side,  and 
we  pass  the  nurses’  little  “Watch  House,”  con- 
sisting of  one  room,  surrounded  by  a veranda  on 
three  sides,  furnished  with  a table,  whereupon  a 
very  old  sewing  machine  is  standing,  some  chairs, 
another  table  with  disinfectants  and  a bed.  Al- 
ternately, the  nurses  sleep  here  in  the  night, 
changing  every  week.  When  in  the  daytime  they 
have  a little  time  to  sit  down,  you  find  them  in 
this  little  room,  very  busy,  mending  the  wash  of 
their  17  patients.  Dear  friends,  the  work  of  our 
three  nurses  becomes  almost  too  much.  It  sur- 
passes their  streng^th  in  this  hot  climate.  Would 
you  not  enjoy  assisting  them  in  sewing  some 


15 


clothing  for  our  lepers?  The  Bethesda  Home 
Society  has  all  their  measures  and  will  be  happy 
to  let  you  know  about  their  needs.  Our  dea- 
conesses would  be  saved  a great  danger  if  they 
could  be  spared  from  washing  the  bandages  of 
the  lepers,  which  they  have  to  do  with  their  own 
hands,  every  day.  If  we  had  enough  bandages, 
then  they  could  be  burned  after  being  used.  For 
one  day  the  nurses  need  loo  meters,  that  is  about 
no  yards  of  bandages,  and  that  would  be  during 
the  year,  36,500  meters  for  17  lepers.  Every  day 
they  need  prepared  cotton  wad  for  three  gulders. 
The  bandages  could  be  made  out  of  quite  old 
linen  or  cotton,  and  it  would  give  me  pleasure  to 
send  patterns  of  the  different  bandages  to  every- 
one who  would  be  willing  to  help  and  assist  our 
nurses  in  this  way.  Through  Mrs.  Klinck  and 
other  friends  from  Buffalo,  we  received  quite  a 
lot  of  old  linen  and  cotton ; it  came  just  at  the 
time  when  the  stock  was  consumed.  Many,  many 
thanks  to  our  dear  friends  for  it,  and  also  to  those 
who  helped  us  with  clothing  and  other  gifts. 

Now  we  pass  a nice  new  building  of  three 
rooms,  but  it  is  not  yet  painted.  It  is  built  from 
American  money  and  soon  will  be  used,  as  now 
we  have  three  rooms,  where  in  everyone  two 
lepers  are  lying  together.  Little  14-year-old 
Sophietje  Watchman  and  13-year-old  Albertina 
Topin  had  to  share  one  room  together.  Sophie 
is  a very  intelligent  little  girl,  whose  father  was  a 
Chinaman.  She  has  no  wounds  yet,  but  her 
hands  are  very  stiff  already,  so  that  she  cannot 
handle  things,  but  she  can  write.  I found  her  the 


16 


other  day  in  Monsanto’s  room  writing  a letter  to 
his  family,  as  he  cannot  do  it  himself.  She  is 
giving  the  meals  to  Mr.  Kampf  and  assists  the 
nurses  as  well  as  her  poor  hands  will  allow.  She 
is  very  proud  of  the  nice  white  hat  with  the  rose 
ribbon,  which  Miss  Scott  and  Miss  Chester  so 
kindly  sent. 

Albertina  Topin  has  not  learned  much  in  her 
poor  life.  It  is  touching  to  hear  the  child  telling 
about  her  past  life.  “So  long  as  my  mother  lived 
I had  a good  life,  but  afterwards  I suffered  much 
and  I was  not  treated  nicely.”  She  sewed  a nice 
text  for  the  new  chapel.  “Christ  died  for  me.” 
But,  dear  friends,  you  ought  to  see  her  working 
with  her  poor  hands.  She  has  still  strength 
enough,  if  it  is  with  much  trouble,  to  put  the 
needle  in  her  work,  but  to  get  it  out  again,  she 
uses  her  mouth.  Her  poor  fingers  are  so  feeble 
and  stiff.  In  the  next  room  Annetta  Montel 
and  Christina  Wacker  are  living.  Soon  all  will 
have  their  own  rooms  again  and  that  is  so  much 
better  for  them.  Annetta  Montel  is  i6  years  old, 
but  very  small.  She  suffers  very  much,  poor 
child ! Her  feet  and  legs  have  open  wounds. 
Christina  Wacker  will  receive  a room  in  “Beth- 
any Home,”  with  Louisa  Rens,  therefore,  I will 
tell  their  story  later  on. 

A new  patient  we  received  in  Antoinette  Zuid- 
veen,  47  years  old.  Her  sister  took  her  in  her 
house  where  she  lived  upstairs  under  the  roof; 
as  she  told  me,  they  had  it  very  poorly.  One  day 
she  fell  down  the  staircase,  or  better,  the  ladder. 


17 


which  connected  the  two  floors,  and  her  sick  foot 
burst  asunder.  There  was  no  doctor  to  be  found 
to  amputate  her  foot,  she  was  a leper.  At  last 
there  was  one  found,  but  no  money  to  pay  him. 
You  can  imagine,  dear  friends,  how  the  poor 
woman  suffered.  “Sometimes  I had  two  cents 
only  to  live  on,  with  the  children.”  But  a new 
trial  came  to  them.  Her  sister  became  sick  and 
had  to  go  to  the  hospital  to  be  operated  on.  In 
these  circumstances.  Sister  Philippina  found  her 
and  brought  her  to  Bethesda.  Her  sister’s  children 
were  cursing  Sister  Philippina  when  she  took 
their  aunt  away.  But  she  was  full  of  praise  and 
thanks  when  she  saw  her  little  room  and  felt  the 
tender  care  of  the  nurses.  And  her  little  niece 
and  nephew  have  visited  her  already.  The  little 
boy  asked  her,  “Who  gave  you  this  table,  and  this 
bed,  and  this  chair?”  and  he  put  off  his  jacket  and 
said : “I  do  not  go  away  now ; I also  stay  here.” 
She  was  so  pale  and  thin  looking  when  she  came, 
the  bones  were  standing  out  of  her  face,  and  the 
doctor  said  that  she  must  first  get  some  strengfth 
back  before  he  could  amputate  the  foot.  But  the 
good  care  and  daily  cleaning  did  its  work,  and 
now  she  can  use  her  foot  again,  with  a crutch. 
Cleanliness  is  the  chief  thing  for  this  disease,  and 
if  you  cannot  cure  them,  you  can  lighten  their 
heavy  cross ; that  we  have  observed  in  many 
cases. 

Celina  de  Mesquitta,  who,  after  the  death  of 
William  Reeberg,  became  teacher  to  the  leper 
children,  was  not  able  to  continue.  Her  eyes 
troubled  her  very  much.  It  is  not  good  for  these 


18 


children  if  they  are  not  occupied.  A special  re- 
creation hour  for  me  is  Wednesday  afternoon 
from  4 to  5 o’clock,  during  which  time  I gather 
with  the  five  girls  and  two  boys  for  a Bible  Class, 
and,  indeed,  I must  say  I have  good  listeners,  and 
I thank  the  Lord  that  he  allows  me  to  study  with 
these  poor  children,  the  dear,  old  stories ; to  tell 
them  of  our  dear  Saviour  and  of  His  love  for 
them. 

In  May  we  had  the  great  pleasure  to  dedicate 
the  chapel.  It  was  built  with  money  which  our 
deaconesses  collected  during  the  last  three  years 
and  of  the  money  we  personally  received  for 
Bethesda  from  the  United  States  of  America  and 
other  lands  since  we  came  back  last  year.  From 
the  money  we  collected  during  our  stay  in  the 
United  States  of  America,  we  built  a nice  new 
bathhouse,  consisting  of  five  bathrooms  and  a 
dispensary,  a nice  house  of  three  rooms  for  new 
patients,  an  oven  where  the  bandages  and  other 
things  of  the  patients  can  be  burned,  a house  with 
three  rooms  for  the  workmen,  and  a nice  cement 
path  from  the  mission  house  to  Bethesda,  about 
120  yards  long,  as  it  was  almost  impossible  for 
the  nurses  to  come  to  Bethesda  in  the  rainy  sea- 
son, without  getting  wet  and  dirty.  This  path  is 
a true  blessing.  Once  again  we  thank  all  our 
friends  for  their  gifts,  which  we  received  during 
our  stay  in  the  United  States  of  America,  and 
which  enabled  us  to  extend  and  to  improve  our 
little  Bethesda  in  such  a way.  Dear  friends,  do 
not  become  tired  in  helping  and  assisting  us  in 
this  work,  there  is  so  much  still  to  do. 


19 


Our  hearts  were  made  glad  on  the  receipt  of  a 
letter  from  dear  Miss  Quadlander,  telling  us 
about  the  dedication  of  the  portable  house  in  Buf- 
falo, the  15th  of  May.  We  thank  heartily  all  the 
kind  friends  who  so  generously  contributed  to 
this  noble  undertaking.  This  Buffalo  house, 
called  “Bethany  Home,”  arrived  here  the  28th  of 
July  in  the  afternoon,  about  half-past  six  o’clock, 
a day  before  Sister  Philippina’s  birthday.  When 
the  silent  night  surrounds  Bethesda  and  the 
southern  starry  sky  extends  over  village  and 
river,  you  find  a number  of  patients  sitting  to- 
gether on  their  verandas  and  talking  over  the  big 
event  of  the  day.  An  old  man  shakes  his  head 
and  says : “How  is  it  possible  that  people  who 
do  not  know  us  at  all,  who  have  never  seen  us 
nor  Bethesda,  have  such  a love  for  us  ?” 

The  erection  of  the  Bethany  Home  was  con- 
nected with  diverse  difficulties.  The  construction 
was  quite  unknown  to  the  carpenters.  The  house 
had  to  be  set  on  cement  feet,  but  three  times  it 
had  to  be  removed,  until  they  came  on  the  right 
place.  It  took  five  weeks  to  get  ready  with  the 
house,  including  painting  work.  In  this  country, 
people  do  not  know  what  work  means.  At  last 
the  house  was  ready.  It  stands  on  elevated 
ground  and  as  you  enter  Bethesda,  it  lies  on  your 
right  and  impresses  you  with  its  different  con- 
struction. It  is  painted  in  white  and  green  and 
looks  very  nice  in  its  pretty  colored  dress. 

May  the  Lord’s  blessing  rest  upon  this  place 
and  upon  those  who  are  living  and  suffering  in  it. 

Gertrude  E.  Weiss. 


20, 


The  Inhabitants  of  Bethany  Home 

LOUISA  RENS. 

I was  born  the  8th  of  January,  1888.  When  I 
was  one  year  of  age  my  parents  noticed  the  first 
spot  on  my  body,  and  took  me  to  be  treated  for  the 
disease.  When  I was  seven  years  old,  my  mother 
died  and  my  aunt  cared  for  me  and  one  of  my 
sisters,  whilst  the  other  sister  remained  with 
papa.  Some  time  afterwards  my  father  took  me 
back.  I felt  very  sorry  for  I could  never  leave 
the  house  again  on  account  of  the  disease.  I had 
to  sleep  alone  and  all  my  things  were  kept  apart. 
Many  times,  when  my  sister  went  outside  with 
the  other  girls  for  a walk,  or  any  other  pleasure, 
I had  to  stay  at  home  alone.  My  father  always 
felt  sorry  for  me,  when  he  saw  me  crying,  and 
when  he  heard  that  the  Protestants  would  open  a 
place  for  sick  people,  directly  he  told  me  he  would 
take  me  there  when  the  place  was  ready.  First, 
when  I heard  this  I cried  and  told  my  papa  that 
I would  not  be  able  to  leave  him,  but  on  the  9th 
of  April,  1900,  the  Director  of  Bethesda  came  to 
take  me.  My  father  accompanied  us  to  the  row- 
boat which  brought  us  to  Bethesda.  The  first  day 
I cried  much  and  would  have  liked  to  go  back  to 
my  father,  but  some  days  afterwards,  when  I had 
made  acquaintance  with  the  seven  other  patients 
and  the  dear  nurses,  I felt  at  home  and  was  happy 
that  I had  come.  What  a pleasure  it  was  for  me, 
that  I was  able  now  to  go  outside  my  room.  To 
go  to  church,  and  to  run  about  freely.  Only  one 
thing  I still  missed  and  that  was  another  little 


21 


girl  to  play  with  me.  Sometimes  I cried  for  it 
and  asked  the  Lord  to  send  me  a little  friend.  A 
year  passed  and  the  Lord  heard  my  prayers  and 
a young  girl  called  Jenny  came,  but  she  did  not 
stay  long  with  me,  Jesus  called  her  to  Him.  You 
can  imagine  how  sorry  I felt,  for  Jenny  and 
I were  loving  each  other  so  dearly.  Over  a year 
again  I was  alone,  but  now,  we  are  four  young 
girls,  and  with  Miss  Christina,  five.  What  a 
pleasure  we  had  when  we  heard  that  the  friends 
of  Buffalo  would  send  a house  for  Bethesda  from 
North  America.  Still  greater  our  pleasure  be- 
came, som^  days  ago,  when  it  was  built  up  and 
painted  in  its  white  and  green  dress.  The  iith 
of  September,  Mr.  Weiss  came  to  me  and  told  me 
that  I would  go  to  live  in  one  of  the  rooms  in  the 
beautiful  “Bethany  Home.”  My  pleasure  was  so 
great  that  the  first  day  I was  not  able  to  show  it, 
nor  to  say  a word.  Christina  will  get  the  other 
room.  Next  week  the  Board  comes  to  view  the 
house  and  to  dedicate  the  other  ones.  Then  when 
the  color  has  dried,  we  shall  remove.  The  rooms 
are  already  furnished  and  ready  to  live  in.  I am 
sitting  now  with  Mrs.  Weiss  in  my  room  in 
Bethany  Home,  writing  these  lines  to  you,  dear 
friends.  The  room  has  a delicate  pink  color  in- 
side and  is  furnished  so  prettily.  The  little  dolly 
with  the  red  jacket  and  the  red  cap  is  lying  in  the 
cradle.  On  Sundays,  the  other  little  girls  will 
come  to  play  with  the  cradle  and  the  doll.  My 
dear  friends,  believe  me,  I shall  appreciate  the 
beautiful  house  and  all  the  nice  things  with  which 
the  dear  deaconesses  from  Buffalo  have  furnished 


22 


it.  I am  not  able  to  give  you  thanks  enough,  mv 
dearest  friends,  but  believe  me  I go  on  to  ask  God 
to  bless  everyone  who  took  a share  in  this  great 
work. 

I am  your  loving  sick  child, 

Louisa. 


Letter  from  Christina 

CHRISTINA. 

I was  born  the  17th  of  September,  1878,  at  the 
estate  called  Liberty,  the  property  of  my  father. 
When  I was  three  years  old  my  father  sold  the 
estate  for  a good  money  and  went  to  live  in  town 
with  my  mother,  myself  and  three  other  children. 
Later  my  father  died  and  soon  afterwards  my 
mother  worked  in  a house  outside  the  town. 
During  this  time  I was  much  with  two  ladies  who 
had  leprosy.  They  took  me  in  their  arms  and 
played  with  me.  My  mother  never  had  heard  of 
this  disease  and  so  she  saw  no  danger  and  al- 
lowed me  to  visit  these  ladies.  Later  when  I took 
this  dreadful  disease,  my  poor  mother  felt  great 
repentence.  Other  people  warned  my  mother  and 
she  bought  a little  home  outside  the  town.  At 
seven  years  of  age,  my  mother  sent  me  to  school, 
but  being  sickly  I could  not  attend  regularly. 
When  I was  eleven  years  old,  my  mother  was 
married  again  to  a German.  It  was  soon  after- 
wards that  I observed  a spot  on  my  leg  and  just 
on  that  place  I had  lost  every  sensation.  My  step- 
father took  me  to  a German  physician  in  town, 
who  gave  us  a kind  of  salve  and  I went  again  to 


23 


school.  I was  happy  to  get  such  a good  father, 
who  loved  me  so  dearly  and  who  assisted  my 
mother  in  every  way.  I was  twelve  when  my  two 
brothers  became  very  sick  and  my  dear  father 
died  suddenly.  Now  I had  to  leave  the  school 
and  assist  my  mother  in  all  her  heavy  work.  At 
fifteen  years  of  age,  I longed  to  be  confirmed  in 
the  Lutheran  church,  but  I was  taken  with  heavy 
fevers  and  a wound  appeared  in  my  foot.  The 
doctor  came  and  had  the  disagreeable  duty  to  tell 
my  mother  I had  leprosy. 

One  afternoon,  I firmly  resolved  to  leave  home 
and  enter  the  Protestant  leper  home,  “Bethesda." 
I think  God  Himself  gave  me  this  thought.  I 
sent  a note  to  our  pastor,  who  is  the  Secretary  of 
the  Protestant  Leper  Board  and  he  and  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Weiss,  who  were  just  in  town,  visited  me 
the  same  day.  Three  days  afterward,  my  dear 
sister  Martha  came  with  a carriage  to  our  house 
and  brought  me  to  the  rowboat  which  waited  for 
us  at  the  riverside.  It  was  nearly  midnight  when 
we  left  the  town.  At  5 o’clock  we  arrived  at 
Bethesda.  O,  I found  this  place  so  beautiful ! I 
have  a nice  room  and  on  all  sides  I am  sur- 
rounded with  the  love  of  my  dear  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Weiss  and  the  good  sisters.  What  a change  that 
was  for  me!  At  home  my  own  brothers  were  sc 
afraid  of  me  they  would  not  even  allow  my 
mother  to  care  for  me,  for  they  did  not  like  her 
to  touch  me.  And  when  I saw  how  the  dear 
nurses  took  care  of  me,  you  can  understand,  dear 
friends,  what  a change  it  must  have  been  for  me. 
And  from  day  to  day  we  notice  how  the  love  for 


24 


US  poor  people  is  increasing  in  North  America, 
and  in  other  countries.  When  I arrived  at  Be- 
thesda  this  year,  I heard  that  our  friends  would 
send  us  a home  from  the  United  States  of  Ameri- 
ca. The  28th  of  July  the  house  arrived.  The 
nth  of  September,  Mr.  Weiss  came  to  tell  Louisa 
and  me  that  we  should  go  to  live  in  “Bethany 
Home.”  My  dear  ones,  when  I look  at  the  house 
and  all  the  nice  things  inside,  then  it  is  that  the 
tears  come  into  my  eyes,  for  I must  tell  you  that 
the  17th  of  September,  I was  26  years  of  age  and 
never  have  I lived  in  such  a nice  house;  never 
have  I sat  in  such  a chair  and  laid  in  such  a good 
bed.  How  nice  are  the  clothespress  and  the  table 
with  its  dishes  and  the  beautiful  white  linen  table- 
cloth ! What  surprises  me  most  is  the  silver  set, 
the  spoons,  forks  and  knives.  Such  a comfortable 
armchair — my  old  mother,  65  years  old,  has  never 
seen  and  I would  like  that  she  could  use  it  in  my 
place.  Now,  my  dear  friends,  I cannot  thank  you 
enough  for  such  a gift,  but  our  dear  Lord  will 
reward  you.  What  a pleasure  my  mother  will 
have  when  she  comes  to  visit  me,  to  find  me  in 
such  a nice  house,  furnished  with  so  much  love. 
Now  I will  finish,  and  I always  will  be  grateful 
to  the  dear  friends  who  worked  so  hard  to  give  us 
such  a present.  I ask  you  to  remember  me  in 
your  prayers,  and  also  my  mother  and  my  broth- 
ers. I hope  that  some  time  we  all  will  meet  in  the 
kingdom  of  our  dear  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

I remain,  yours  gratefully, 

Christina. 


25 


Letter  from  Mrs.  Pigott,  Wife  of  the  British  Consul 
at>  Suriname,  Dutch  Cuina 

Dear  Friends: 

I think,  perhaps,  that  those  of  you  who  gave 
my  little  booklet,  “With  the  Lepers  in  Suriname,” 
such  a kindly  reception  two  years  ago,  may  be  in- 
terested to  hear  of  a visit  we  have  just  paid  to 
Bethesda,  and  how  things  are  going  on  there. 

The  little  settlement  looked  very  gay  and  smil- 
ing as  we  approached  it,  the  first  thing  to  greet 
us  being  the  British  flag  (Red  Ensign),  hoisted 
just  in  front  of  the  harbor  at  the  entrance  of  Be- 
thesda. 

Upon  the  mission  house  itself  the  Dutch  flag 
waved,  as  three  of  the  Dutch  officials  were  with 
us. 

The  outer  aspect  of  Bethesda  is  much  im- 
proved, the  shrubs  and  flowers  have  grown  up 
around  the  houses,  and  the  new  chapel  adds 
greatly  to  the  appearance  of  the  place. 

Dear  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Weiss  met  us  with  their 
usual  hearty  welcome.  They  and  the  three  sis- 
ters are  just  as  bright  and  cheery  as  ever  in  their 
self-denying  work  for  the  poor  sufferers. 

We  found  changes  among  the  inmates.  Four 
of  the  patients  have  died  since  last  we  were  there, 
and  there  are  several  new  ones.  There  are  eigh- 
teen in  all  now  at  Bethesda. 

Kampf,  who  is  now  entirely  blind  and  quite  un- 
able to  use  his  hands,  at  once  recognized  our 
voices,  and  gave  us  a bright  welcome.  He  is,  as 
you  will  doubtless  remember,  the  first  patient  that 


26 


was  received  at  Bethesda,  and  is  to  all  appearance 
much  the  same  as  when  we  last  saw  him,  though 
his  poor  feet,  the  sisters  told  us,  are  in  a terrible 
condition. 

Poor  little  Christian  looked  very  gloomy.  The 
settled  melancholy  upon  the  countenances  of 
many  of  the  poor  creatures  was  very  noticeable 
and  is  one  of  the  features  of  the  disease.  A short 
time  ago  Mrs.  Weiss  gave  him  a cutting  from  one 
of  her  rose-bushes,  and  one  of  the  sisters  heard 
him  talking  as  he  was  planting  it  something  like 
this : “Rose-tree,  I am  going  to  plant  you,  but  I 
do  not  think  I shall  be  here  to  see  you  when  you 
are  grown.  I am  going  on  a long  journey  soon, 
Mr.  Weiss  will  be  the  chief  helmsman,  and  next 
to  him  the  apothecary,  and  after  them  the  sailors 
will  carry  me.  (This  was  in  allusion  to  the  way 
they  are  carried  to  their  burial  in  their  little  ceme- 
tery, Mr.  Weiss  and  the  apothecary  always  walk- 
ing first  in  the  mournful  little  procession.)  So, 
rose-tree,  it  may  be  I shall  not  be  here  to  see  you, 
but  all  the  same  I shall  plant  you  and  someone 
else  will  enjoy  you  when  I am  gone.”  Poor 
child ! No  happy  boy  life  for  him  in  this  world ! 

“Little  Louisa”  is  now  no  longer  little,  but  has 
grown  a tall  girl.  Her  poor  face  (as  is  the  case 
with  most  of  them)  is  very  unsightly  with  the 
terrible  swelling  and  distortion  caused  by  the  dis- 
ease. She  has  now  four  companions  and  these 
girls  are  learning  to  sew  very  nicely.  Selina,  the 
oldest  of  the  women  patients,  looks  wonderfully 
better  and  quite  bright.  She  has  undertaken  the 
teaching  of  the  younger  ones.  She  showed  us 


27 


some  of  their  work,  really  beautifully  done  hem- 
stitching and  marking,  besides  plainer  work. 

One  of  the  newer  patients,  an  old  Dutch 
soldier,  spoke  most  gratefully  of  the  place.  He 
said,  “It  is  good  to  be  here  both  for  soul  and 
body.” 

More  than  ever  did  we  feel  how  much  the  de- 
voted workers  need  our  untiring  sympathy  and 
prayers  in  their  trying  work.  It  is  impossible  to 
be  constantly  surrounded  by  such  scenes  of  an- 
guish and  sorrow  and  to  strive  to  comfort  and 
sympathize  with  the  sufferers,  without  getting 
worn  themselves,  and  in  the  case  of  this  disease 
there  is  the  added  trial  of  the  frightful  ghastli- 
ness and  loathsomeness  which  even  with  all  the 
care  and  cleanliness  used  is  unavoidable  in  its 
later  stages.  Let  us  do  all  in  our  power  to  lighten 
their  burden,  by  giving  them  all  the  practical  help 
we  can  as  well  as  our  sympathy  and  our  prayers. 
“Bear  ye  one  another’s  burdens  and  so  fulfil  the 
law  of  Christ.” 

Yours  in  behalf  of  the  lepers  of  Bethesda, 

British  Consulate. 

Paramaribo,  May  lo,  1904. 


28 


The  Deaconess,  Philippina.  Dressing  the  Wounds  of  One  of  the  Depers 


The  New  Bathhouses  and  Dispensary 


Interesting  Sketches 


Between  the  men’s  and  the  women’s  houses  is 
the  “Schwesternhaus”  (the  Sisters’  House),  a 
neat,  pretty  little  rest-house  approached  by  a 
green  pathway,  and  appropriated  to  the  use  of 
the  deaconesses  who  spend  their  lives  among  the 
poor  sufferers,  giving  to  the  work  the  most  loving 
and  whole-hearted  devotion. 


Clad  in  large  linen  “overall”  aprons  at  half- 
past five  in  the  morning  these  faithful  nurses  set 
out  for  the  houses  of  their  patients,  where  they 
perform  the  duty  of  dressing  the  ulcerated 
wounds  of  those  poor,  helpless  sick  ones.  One 
can  read  in  the  lines  of  their  faces  and  their  weary 
eyes,  and  painfully  emaciated  forms,  how  much 
they  suffer  every  day. 


Miss  A.  E.  Scott, 

Sec.  and  Treas.  of  B.  H.  S.  of  U.  S.  A. : 

My  dear  Miss  Scott — I send  you  by  registered 
letter  today,  a five-dollar  gold-piece  given  me  on 
Christmas,  some  time  ago,  by  my  late  sister.  I 
have  kept  it  all  this  time,  not  wanting  to  spend  it, 
and  wondering  what  I should  do  with  it.  When 
I chanced  to  read  your  Bethesda  pamphlet,  I de- 
cided at  once  that  that  was  the  very  place  I 
wanted  my  gold-piece  to  go.  Will  you  please 
send  it  to  them,  with  love,  but  mention  no  name? 

A Friend. 


29 


It  is  needless  to  say  that  these  sketches  of  the 
work  are  written  in  the  earnest  hope  that  the 
simple  recital  may  move  the  hearts  of  people 
everywhere,  and  lead  them  to  give  to  the  support 
and  expansion  of  this  good  and  Christlike  work. 

What  a blessing  if  some  one  who  has  much  of 
“this  world’s  goods”  would  give  to  Bethesda  the 
money  for  a small  hospital,  where  the  very  sick 
patients  might  be  nursed,  and  yet  not  be  with 
those  less  afflicted ! Oh,  pray  give  of  your  abund- 
ance to  those  who  have  so  little  in  their  lives  to 
cheer ! 


The  Dedication  of  the  Chapel  at<  Bethesda 

It  was  a beautiful  morning  in  May,  when  the 
President  and  members  of  the  Board  of  Para- 
maribo sailed  down  the  Suriname  River,  on  the 
steam  launch  provided  by  the  Colonial  Govern- 
ment, to  attend  the  dedication  of  the  new  Chapel 
of  Bethesda.  Flags  were  flying  from  every 
building,  even  from  the  house  of  the  Director  of 
the  Government  Asylum,  and  the  inmates  of  Be- 
thesda were  grouped  around  a large  Dutch  flag, 
which  they  had  hoisted  at  the  landing.  At  last 
their  wish  was  fulfilled,  and  the  chapel  which  they 
had  watched  becoming  more  complete  day  by  day 
was  finished,  and  was  to  be  dedicated  this  day. 
They  would  now  have  a place  to  worship  and 
hold  their  meetings,  near  enough  so  those  who 
are  feeble  can  easily  be  taken  to  join  those  less 
afflicted,  in  their  services.  Near  the  chapel  the 
American  flag  was  raised,  as  a quiet  salute  to 


30 


those  kind  friends  of  the  United  States,  whose 
hearts  had  beea  touched  by  the  misery  and  suf- 
fering of  the  poor  lepers,  in  this  South  American 
Colony. 

Solemnly  and  lovingly  our  President,  Bishop 
Stachelin,  opened  the  door  of  the  chapel  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord.  As  we  entered  this  beautiful 
little  chapel,  we  felt  the  spirit  of  peacefulness 
which  rested  on  the  place.  Attractively  decor- 
ated, and  simply  furnished ; the  pictures  and 
texts  beautiful;  the  lamps  bright  and  glittering; 
the  chairs,  simple,  but  comfortable;  the  curtains 
at  the  windows  new  and  fresh — everything 
bought  and  made  from  gifts  which  the  Sisters 
had  received.  We  felt  it — it  was  good  to  be  here 
— here  the  poor  souls,  tired  by  their  long  afflic- 
tions and  sufferings  would  find  rest  and  consola- 
tion, for  the  Lord  would  be  with  them  here  in 
this  house,  dedicated  to  Him,  and  would  give 
them  peace. 

Bishop  Stachelin  opened  the  meeting  with  a 
good,  solemn  talk,  followed  by  the  singing  of  fa- 
miliar hymns.  Rev.  H.  T.  Weiss,  director  of 
Bethesda,  then  spoke  most  feelingly,  congratu- 
lating his  poor  people  upon  the  fulfilment  of  their 
wishes,  and  thanking  heartily  all  those  who  had 
made  this  meeting  possible.  His  poor  leper  au- 
dience listened  most  earnestly  to  every  word  he 
said,  showing  on  their  faces  how  fervently  they 
thanked  all  who  had  helped  them  to  the  realiza- 
tion of  their  prayer — “a  chapel  of  their  very 
own.” 

The  President  of  the  Serving  Committee  then 


31 


congratulated  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Weiss,  the  ladies, 
and,  lastly,  the  sick  people,  in  the  name  of  the 
Board.  The  Secretary  and  several  Board  mem- 
bers made  short  addresses. 

After  a heart-to-heart  talk  with  the  sick  people, 
we  left  them  to  enjoy  together  their  feast-day, 
and  we  returned  to  the  house  of  Rev.  Weiss, 
where  we  spent  the  remainder  of  a very  memor- 
able day.  It  was,  indeed,  an  event  for  the  in- 
mates of  Bethesda,  and  they  still  talk  about  it. 

What  an  eloquent  lesson  those  poor  people 
teach  us,  who  are  well  and  strong ! 

DR.  C.  F.  SCHOCH. 


32 


A meeting  of  the  Bethesda  Home  Society  of  the 
United  States  of  America  was  held  at  the  residence  of 
the  President,  Mrs.  Francis  U.  Kahle,  309  Franklin 
street,  Wednesday,  November  sixteenth,  at  2 p.  m.  The 
following  resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted: 

Resolved,  That  a vote  of  thanks  be  tendered  the 
public  for  their  most  generous  contributions  to  the 
Christmas  boxes  to  be  sent  to  the  Rev.  Henry  T.  Weiss 
to  be  distributed  among  the  inhabitants  of  Bethesda, 
Suriname,  Dutch  Guiana,  S.  A. 

Resolved,  That  the  Treasurer  be  instructed  to  i.>=nd 
$350.00  to  Rev.  Weiss  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the 
portable  house,  sent  last  summer.  The  Bethesda  Home 
Society  has  largely  increased  its  membership  and  has 
many  plans  for  the  future  advancement  of  the  cau.se. 
Two  Auxiliaries  of  the  National  Home  Society  have 
lately  been  formed. 


Contributions  received  by  Rev.  H.  T.  Weiss  from 
Aug.  I,  1903,  to  April,  1904: 


From  the  Christian  Herald 


$ 17  00 
57  60 
27  00 
II  SO 
19  00 

$132  10 


By  Rev.  M.  D.  Stearns,  Philadelphia — 


From  a deceased  member  of  his  Brookl}'n 


Bible  Class $20.00 

From  Mrs.  A.  H.  Vreeland,  Jersey  City. . 25  00 

“ Miss  A.  E.  Richards  5 00 

“ Mrs.  Joseph  Hunt,  Allentown,  Pa..  5 00 

“ a Newark  class  member i 00 

“ an  anonymous  class  member  of 

New  York  25  00 

81  00 


33 


From  Miss  V.  N.,  care  Rev.  Dippel,  D.D., 

Philadelphia  lo  oo 

“ Mrs.  J.  G.  Cleveland,  Canada  ....  lo  oo 

“ Mrs.  A.  L.  Wolle,  Lititz 2 50 

“ Mrs.  Bachmann,  N.  K.,  Ohio i 00 

“ Mr.  J.  A.  Smith,  Sunday  School, 

Ephraim  10  00 

“ the  Missionary  Society  of  the  Mor. 

Parochial  School,  in  Bethlehem, 

Pa.,  Helen  de  Schweinitz 5 00 

From  Rev.  Haehnle,  Nazareth,  Pa. — 

From  Bessie  and  Sara  Bunday  5 00 

“ Sturgeon  Bay  Sunday  School, 

through  Rev.  Greenfelt  10  00 

“ Mrs.  E.  A.  Smith 3 00 

“ Young  Men’s  Missionary  Society, 

Bethlehem,  Pa 25  00 

Through  Rev.  Maguire,  Cleveland 5 00 


$300  70 


The  undersigned  acknowledges,  with  hearty  thanks, 
the  following  contributions  to  the  fund  of  Bethesda 
Home  in  Suriname,  received  in  1904  (since  Oct.  29, 


1903)  : 

Jan.  18 — New  Century  Band,  First  Presby- 
terian Church,  Philadelphia,  through 

Mr.  Geo.  Griffiths  $ 5 00 

— J.  R.  Wierdsma,  New  York  10  00 

22 — Miss  Lena  Doepken,  Circleville,  O.  . . . 21  00 
26 — Mrs.  C.  P.  Keith,  Germantown,  Pa.  . . 10  00 

Feb.  4 — Y.  P.  Society,  Sixth  Reformed  Church, 

Cleveland,  0 5 00 

10 — Miss  Ethel  Clyde,  New  York IS  00 

13 — Miss  E.  M.  Brickenstein,  New  York  . . 2 00 

IS — Drexel  Home: 

Mrs.  Doerfler  i 00 

N.  N I 00 


34 


18 —  Y.  P.  Society,  Greene  Avenue  Baptist 

Church,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y 500 

— Grace  Nettleton  Home,  Cumberland 

Gap,  Tenn 4 25 

20 — Through  Mr.  Wolterbeck; 

Mrs.  Truesdell,  River  Falls,  Wis.  ..  i 00 

26 —  Mrs.  Ed.  Maule,  Philadelphia  S 00 

27 —  Anon.,  Philadelphia  i 00 

Mar.  6 — H.  J.  Thiede,  Bridesburg,  Phila.,  Pa.  . 2 00 

9 — Sister  Maria  Bangerteo,  Cincinnati  ...  2 00 

10 — Prof.  H.  M.  Hall,  Berkeley,  Cal.  .....  25  oo 

23 —  Drexel  Home : Margarethe  Staeblein  6 00 

29 — Mrs.  S.  P.  Avery,  New  York $0  00 

Apr.  7 — Through  Rev.  J.  M.  E.  Darms,  Buffalo  5 00 
22 — Miss.  Soc.,  Madison  Av.  Cong’l  S.  S., 

Cleveland,  0 2 00 

May  6 — A small  contribution  (anon.)  i 00 

19 —  Drexel  Home:  Sisters  Marg.  and  Mar.  2 00 

24 —  Drexel  Home  ii  00 

June  2 — Frauenverein,  Emanuel  Ref.  Church 

(Rev.  J.  Forster),  Bridesburg,  Phila.  6 75 

16 —  Drexel  Home:  Sister  L.  K 2 50 

— H.  O.  Kuck,  New  Knoxville,  0 5 00 

17 —  H.  J.  Thiede,  Bridesburg,  Philadelphia  3 00 

— Mrs.  H.  G.  House,  Treas.,  Cleveland  . 4 50 

18 —  Drexel  Home:  Sister  N.  W i 00 

Aug.  6 — A sympathizer  (anon.),  Philadelphia  . i 00 


Total  $216  00 

Later  receipts  22  56 

REV.  C.  GOEDEL, 

Recently  resigned  Treasurer  of  the  U.  S.  Sub-Committee. 


35 


BUFFALO,  N.  Y. 


Mrs.  John  Gowans  $ lo  oo 

Mrs.  George  E.  Matthews  lo  oo 

Mr.  Henry  J.  Pierce 25  00 

Mrs.  R.  J.  Sherman  5 00 

Mrs.  C.  M.  Underhill  5 00 

Mr.  L L.  Lewis 10  00 

Mr.  J.  P.  Dudley  5 00 

Mrs.  John  Lapey  10  OO 

Mr.  Nussmann  3 25 

Anonymous  i 00 

Miss  Kate  Putnam  I 00 

Mrs.  Frank  H.  Goff  ran  i 00 

Mrs.  Sanborn  50 

Anonymous  i 00 

Mr.  W.  E.  L.  Betsch 10  00 

Lafayette  Ave.  Church  (women)  7 75 

Lafayette  Ave.  Church  (prayer  meeting)  13  89 

Mr.  Sidney  McDougall  25  00 

Rev.  C.  F.  Hubbard 5 00 

Miss  M.  Oliver  S 00 

Through  Rev.  H.  P.  Merle 14  50 

Mrs.  Wheeler  I 00 

Miss  F.  Tench 5 00 

A friend  i 00 

A friend  5 00 

Miss  Chase i 00 

Junior  Society  Lafayette  Ave.  Church 3 00 

PALMYRA,  N.  J. 

Rev.  Paul  S.  Manert 7 00 

INDIANA  MINERAL  SPRINGS,  IND. 

Mrs.  H.  L.  Kramer 10  00 

NEW  BRUNSWICK,  NOVA  SCOTIA. 

Mrs.  McNeil  2 00 


36 


PATERSON,  N.  J. 


Mrs.  H.  B.  Crosby 


I 00 


BOSTON,  MASS. 

Mr.  Charles  W.  Gordon S oo 

ROME,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  Armstrong  i oo 

PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 

Through  Rev.  C.  Goedel  IIS  oo 

From  a friend  i 74 


BETHESDA  HOME  SOCIETY  OF  THE  U.  S.  A. 
Members — 

Mrs.  Francis  U.  Kahle. 

Miss  Anna  Elizabeth  Scott. 

Miss  Margaret  E.  Chester. 

Mrs.  J.  1.  Prentiss. 

Mrs.  John  F.  Lewis. 

Miss  Harriet  A.  Edgerton. 

Mrs.  L.  L.  Lewis. 

Mrs.  A.  H.  Whitford. 

Mrs.  Henderson. 

Mrs.  W.  Y.  Chapman. 

Miss  Susan  Chase. 

Miss  E.  M.  Sanders. 

Mr.  R.  Dan.  Wolterbeek. 

Mrs.  Geo.  Hobbie. 

Mrs.  Albert  Hobbie. 

Mrs.  H.  A.  Hayes. 

Mrs.  Frank  M.  Hayes. 

Rev.  J.  W.  Ross. 

Mrs.  S.  F.  Sage. 


37 


Mrs.  F.  S.  Hall. 

King’s  Daughters’  Society. 
Mrs.  T.  A.  Kerr. 

Miss  Irene  Fleming. 

Mrs.  James  Scott. 

Mrs.  C.  M.  Walker. 

Mrs.  Farnham. 

Mrs.  Harry  Cornell. 

Mrs.  Cornell. 

Mr.  J.  Boardman  Scovel. 
Mrs.  John  Gowans. 

Mrs.  J.  B.  Mennig. 

Mrs.  J.  M.  Merritt. 

Miss  Belle  V.  Papworth. 
Mrs.  I.  N.  Stewart. 

Mr.  I.  N.  Stewart. 

Miss  Louise  Menge. 

Miss  Isabelle  Kahle. 

Mrs.  Charles  A.  Hausauer. 
Rev.  A.  E.  Holer. 

Mrs.  A.  E.  Holer. 

Mrs.  W.  M.  Edwards. 

Mrs.  Edwards. 

Life  Members — 

Mrs.  Truman  G.  Avery. 
Mrs.  Loran  L.  Lewis. 

Mrs.  Richard  J.  Sherman. 
Mr.  Henry  J.  Pierce. 


38 


All  contributions  and  communications  should 
be  addressed  to  MISS  A.  E.  SCOTT,  Sec’y 
and  Treas.  of  the  Bethesda  Home  Society  of 
the  United  States  of  America,  357  Pennsyl- 
vania Street,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 


Peter  Paul  & Son 
Engravers.  Stationers,  Printers 
136  N.  Pearl  St. 
Buffalo 


I 


